This summer's tour figures to be a bit bittersweet for the rabid fans who populate the Dave Matthews Band Nation.

Matthews has said his group will take next year off so band members can spend time with their families. (Cue the snarky comments from that other nation, the League of DMB Haters.)

The band is winding up a year of touring behind last year's Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, which, in part, is an homage to the band's founding saxophone player LeRoi Moore (the “GrooGrux King”), who died two year ago this month of complications from injuries he sustained in an ATV accident. Fans still cheer his memory when DMB plays “Why I Am.”

A July show at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre featured an appearance by Branford Marsalis on four songs, including “Lover Lay Down.”

Tonight's date at the Hollywood Bowl comes value-added: Opening on this leg of the DMB tour is Raphael Saadiq, who's gotten even busier as a producer since 2008's The Way I See It. If you need a little something for your morning, check out his cover of the Spinners hit “It's a Shame” here.

Elsewhere: Last week, art-poppers Fol Chen performed their Echo residency set with guest singers who'd answered a Craigslist ad. It worked. Tonight, they've invited the metal band Viscera to perform their set. Here they are. Proceed with caution. (Crocodiles are back for another week in support.) … Helen Stellar plays at the Silverlake Lounge in support of the Twilight Sleep's residency. … It's a School Night at Bardot features dance-music whiz MNDR and a DJ set from Maxibum Balloon (Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio). … And fresh off an eye-popping perforance at Sunset Junction, Andy Clockwise plays an early set at the Hotel Cafe.

Also: White Arrows' residency at Spaceland with the Outline, Heavy Young Heathens and Gamble House; Rock Sugar at the House of Blues; Portrait of a Nightmare and Highlife Cavaliers at the Viper Room; Marc Cogman and Darrell Criss at the Mint; Stellaluna at Pehrspace; ASSS at Echo Curio.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.